The present invention relates to material handling vehicles, and more particularly to a material handling vehicle having two deadman pedals.
Material handling vehicles, such as lift trucks, are typically configured to be operated by an operator that either sits while operating the truck or stands while operating the truck. The choice of how the operator operates the vehicle, i.e. sitting or standing, is made by the engineers specifying the vehicle and is not a choice made by the operator upon mounting the vehicle for operation.
Designing a vehicle configurable for use by an operator in either a sitting position or a standing position is made difficult by the necessity to provide operator controls that are accessible and operable in by an operator sitting or standing. Dual controls, i.e. a first set of controls for use by a sitting operator and a second set of controls for use by a standing operator, can be provided for use in a vehicle that allows an operator to either sit or stand during operation. Simultaneous operation of these controls, however, can result in conflicting signals to a vehicle control system that can lead to unexpected results. Accordingly, a need exists for a method of operating dual controls that cannot be misinterpreted by a vehicle control system.